Lu Xunche was used to doing as he pleased, as he was powerful and capable, yet he was always lazy and laid-back. He also enjoyed teasing others.
If you had to sum him up in one word, it would be: ‘abominable.’
For someone with his personality to show up this early in the morning, it likely meant something big was about to happen.
Yan Luo glanced at the two people behind her and stepped into the study.
Next to the main seat in the study, someone was leaning against it, dozing lightly with his head propped on his hand.
There were tea and snacks placed nearby. Whether it was out of hunger or genuine preference, he had eaten quite a few of the overly sweet pastries. He was probably tired of waiting and had dozed off there.
Hearing the sound, he lifted his head and glanced at An Bai behind Yan Luo. Then his gaze drifted toward Jun Yulin, and Lu Xunche paused slightly. A fleeting expression passed over his face, then he smirked and spoke in a slightly hoarse voice, “Yo, Little Cousin.”
This guy had always been unpredictable, acting on impulse and constantly catching people off guard.
The moment those flippant words came out, the expressions of the two men behind Yan Luo instantly changed.
Yan Luo : …
Lu Xunche rubbed his eyes and slowly stood up, as if only now noticing the two very real people behind Yan Luo. He exclaimed in surprise, “Aren’t these the Regent and the Grand Chancellor? My apologies, I thought it was just me and Her Majesty here.”
He adjusted his robes and added with an innocent look as he said, “Sorry about that.”
Great. That one sentence successfully made the already dark faces of the two men look even worse.
[*Ding*—Jun Yulin’s blackening value +2 (91/100)]
Yan Luo : ???
Wait, what does this have to do with her? What did she do? Or is it simply that the male god finds Lu Xunche annoying, so he just increased the blackening value for no reason?
“Lu. Xun. Che.”
Yan Luo swore she absolutely heard the usually refined and composed Grand Chancellor grinding his teeth.
“I have urgent matters to discuss with Her Majesty. Young Master Lu, it’s not appropriate for you to be here, is it?”
Compared to An Bai, Jun Yulin’s tone was far more composed. He frowned slightly at the man in front of him, who clearly didn’t see himself as an outsider at all.
Lu Xunche looked at Jun Yulin again, as if pondering something. But he didn’t push any further and instead bowed respectfully to Yan Luo, his tone now more serious:
“This subject is here to volunteer for a mission.”
An Bai, who had already looked unhappy earlier, now seemed to recall something that made his expression darken even more.
Yan Luo did remember. Although Lu Xunche didn’t have to attend court every morning, he still held an honorary position as a military officer. So she nodded for him to continue.
“I’ve heard that bandits in the northern region have grown increasingly rampant, harming the local people. I—”
“Denied.”
Before Lu Xunche could finish, An Bai cut him off.
He stepped in front of Yan Luo, blocking Lu Xunche from view, and said coolly,
“This subject is here for the same matter. The sudden organization and discipline among the northern bandits, along with their rapid expansion, is suspicious. Beyond their stronghold lies the territory of our former enemy state. I suspect a greater plot is brewing. I ask that Your Majesty grant me permission to investigate and eliminate this threat once and for all.”
As An Bai spoke, Lu Xunche’s lips twitched slightly. He tried signaling Yan Luo with a glance, only to be blocked by An Bai. He shifted position to try again—still blocked.
Yan Luo : …
She couldn’t help but feel that An Bai was starting to be influenced by Lu Xunche. The back-and-forth between the two was starting to feel… childish.